Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-12-24

ter OF the well OF Bethlehem which is by the
gate"
Again, this Gospel well. like the one spoken
of in the text, is captured we'll David re-
memhered the time when that good water Of
Bethlehem was in the possession of his ances-
tors, His father drank there, his mother
drank there. He remembered how the water
tasted when he was boy. and came up there
from play. We never forget the old well we
used to drink out of when we were bows orgirls..
there was something in it that blessed the
lies and refreshed the brow better than any
thing we have found since. AS we think Of
that dear old we'll. the memories Of the past
flow into each other like crystalline drops,
sun-glinted. and all the more as we remember
that the hands that used to hold the rope,
and the hearts that beat against the we'll
.urb are still now. We never get owe these
"reminiscences. George p Morris, the
great song writer Of this country,
once said to me that his song
"Woodmail spare that tree" was sung
n great concert hall, and the memories of
early life were so wrought upon the audience
ov that song that after the singing was DONE
an aged man arose in the audience. over
whelmed with emotion, and said: "Sir. will
you please to tell me whether the woodman
really spared the tree" We never forget the
tree under which we played We never for
get the fountain at which we drank Alas
for the man who has no early memo ries.
David thought of that we'll that boyhood
well. and he wanted drink Of it. but he re-
Inemhered that the Phiistines had captured
it. When those three men tried to come up
to the well in behalf of David, they saw
swords cleaning around about it And this
10 true of this Gospel well. The Philistines
have at times captured it. When we come to
take full, old-fashioned drink of pardon and
comfort, do not their swords of Indignation
and sarcasm flash9 Why, the skeptics tell
ma hat IN not foY1ptoi11f
They say the water is not fit to drink any
how. 'If yon are really thirsty now, there
is the well of philosophy. there is the well of
art, there is the well of science They try
to substitute instead of our boyhood faith, a
modern mixture. They say a great
and they try to feed our immor-
tBl hunger on rose leaves, and mix
a mint julep of worldly stimulants, when
nothing will satisfy us but "a drink of the
water of the well of Bethlehem, which is at
the gate" They try to starve us on husks,
when the Fathers banquet is ready. and the
best ring is taken from the casket, and the
sweetest harp is struck for the music,
and s the swiftest foot is already lifted
heaven and abolish hell, and try to measure
eternity with their hour-glass, and the throne
of the great God with their yard-stickl l
abhor it. l tell you the old Gospel well is
captured we'll pray God that there may
be somewhere in the elect host three an
forth in the strength of the omni-
potent Sod, with the gittering swords
of truth, TO hew the way back
again to that old we'll / think the tide is
turning and that the old Gospel is to take its
place again in the family, and in the unver-
sity, and in the legislative hall. Men have
tried worldly PHILOSOPHERS, and have found
mt that fbQV 6n not criua avad
kat they drop an arctic midnight upon the
'ieath-pillow. They fail when there is a
dead child in the house; and when the soul
comes to leap INTO the fathomless ocean OF
eternity, they give to the man not so much
as broken spar to cling to. Depend upon
it. that well will come into our possession
again, though it has been captured. If there
be not three anointed men IN the Lords
host with enough conservation to do the work,
then the swords will leap from Jehovah's
buckler, and the eternal three will descend
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy
Ghost-conquering for our dying race the
way back again to 1.-THE water of the well of
Bethlehem, which is by the gate" "If God
be for u.s. who can be against usin 'If God
spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up
for us all how shall he not with him also freely
give US all thingsN For | am persuaded
that neither height, nor depth. nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come shall take from
us, into final captivity, the Gospel of my
blessed Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, the Gospel well. like the one spoken
of in my text, is a well at the gate The
traveller stops the camel to-day, and gets
down and dips ont of the valley of the East,
some very beautiful, clear, bright water, and
that is out OF the very well that David longed
for. Do you know that that well was at
the gate, so that nobody could go into
Bethlehem without going right past it, And
so it is with this Gospel well-it is at the gate.
II is, in the first place, at thegate of purifica
ton We cannot wash away our sins unless
with that water. | take the responsibility
of saying that there is no man, woman, or
child in this house to-day that
has escaped sinful defllement. DO you
say it is outrageous and ungallant
for me to make such charge DO you
say: II have never sto!en-I have never
blasphemed-I have never committed I'M
CHASTITY have never been guilty Of
murder / reply. you have committed q
chastity, worse than theft, worse than muir
der. We have all committed it, We
have by our sins re-crucified the Lord and
that is decide. And if there be any who dare
to plead mot guilty" to the indictment, then
the hosts of heaven will be empaneed ms a
jury to renier unanimous verdict against
u.s. guilty one, guilty all. With what a slash
MS 'SiCNO Nhtfe NAAp GoooA5V SuDo US o"oy
from all our pretensions. There is none
that doeth gooI-no. not one "Oh," says
some one, "all we want, all the race wants,
is Development Now l want to tell you
that the race develops without the Gospel into
a Seldom, a Five Points, a great Salt Lake
City. 1t always develops downward, and
never upward, except as the grace of God lays
hold Of it. What, then, is to become Of our soul
without Christi Punishment Disaster But
l bless my Lord Jesus Christ that there is q
well at the gate of publication. For great
sn, great pardon. For eighty years Of trans
gression an eternity.of forgiveness. For crime
deep as hell, an atonement high as heaven;
that where sin abounded so grace may much
more abound; that as sin reigne1 unto death,
even 50 may grace reign through righteous
ness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, our
Lord Angel Of the Covenant. dip thy wing
in this living fountain to-day, and wave it
over this solemn assemblage, that our souls
may be washed in ''the water Of the well OF
Bethlehem, which is by the gate"
Further. | remark that this well Of tho
Gospel is at the gate Of comfort. Do you
t4ba Md he.